10 Things to Do in Istanbul with Kids

Best Family-Friendly Places in Istanbul

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You can find great things to do in Istanbul with kids below the city’s skyline of ancient architectural wonders. The little ones can have a fun day out at the varied collection of theme parks, some of which provide rollercoaster rides while others are dedicated to igniting their creativity. After you’ve covered the fun spots in and around the city itself, consider escaping Istanbul altogether with a cruise along the narrow Bosporus Strait. You can even ferry out and enjoy family cycling adventures on an island that time forgot. Here are some of the best family-friendly places in Istanbul, to help you plan your next exciting family adventures.

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Cruise along the Bosporus

See Istanbul’s beauty from its narrow strait

Hop aboard a ferry or private boat and enjoy the sights of Istanbul from one of the world’s narrowest natural straits, the Bosporus. The Istanbul city department of transportation operates its Şehir Hatları passenger boat services, while many other operators provide cruise trips and Bosporus sightseeing excursions. You can sit and relax as you pass the landmark-filled skylines of the Golden Horn, Ortakoy, and Bebek. A popular ferry terminal is in Eminönü. Read more...

See all of Turkey in a couple of hours at Miniaturk

It’s a fun way to “visit” the country’s icons

Enjoy a fun family tour where you get to see all of Turkey’s most iconic landmarks in a single visit. Miniaturk’s 650,000 sq ft garden grounds are filled with well over 100 impressively detailed buildings in 1:25 scale. Turkish icons include the Blue Mosque and the Ataturk International Airport, complete with its terminals, runways and taxiing Turkish Airlines passenger jets. The park is by the north-eastern shore of Golden Horn, around 20 minutes’ drive north from Istanbul.

Build and play at Legoland Discovery Centre

Enter a world of fun and creativity

You and your kids can enter a world of fun and creativity at Istanbul’s theme park from the classic kids’ building block toy brand. Legoland Discovery Centre, in the suburban district of Bayrampasa, has some of the city’s most iconic landmarks built using Lego bricks. Besides seeing finished Lego masterpieces and building your own creations, you and your kids can also enjoy themed rides, watch movies at the 4D cinema and more. Regular admission at the door is from 59 lira per person.

See sharks at Istanbul Aquarium

Admire aquatic species and walk through an Amazon labyrinth

You can spend a day out with family at this large, themed aquarium in Florya, by the Marmara Sea. Istanbul Aquarium hosts over 1,000 species in over a dozen different sections. Each section focuses on habitats such as the Pacific, Mediterranean, Atlantic, and the Black Sea. Pathways help you navigate from one area to another, but you’ll most likely find yourselves spending more time in its Amazon rainforest and trying to escape the mirror labyrinth. Tickets are from 99 lira for adults and 69 lira for kids.

Hop into a plane’s cockpit at Rahmi M Koç Museum

Admire a vast collection of industrial legacies

This unique museum on the shore of Istanbul’s Golden Horn area features a huge collection of historical Turkish exhibits that relate to transportation, industry and communications. There are vintage cars, locomotives, old aircraft, and even a submarine. You can find a planetarium onsite, too. Kids can have a fun, hands-on experience by entering the cockpit of a Bellanca plane or try scientific experiments in the interactive gallery. Entry to the Rahmi M Koç Museum is around 21 lira, with separate fees to the submarine and the planetarium.

Ride the rollercoaster at Insfabul

Turkey’s own grand amusement park

Families visiting Istanbul can enjoy thrilling rides on the Nefeskesen rollercoaster, which can shoot to speeds reaching 110 km/h in 3 seconds. This is one of the many rides offered at Insfabul, Turkey’s first and largest amusement park. Its massive grounds are filled with many different activities for all ages. If you want wet-and-wild fun, go on a splashing rapid river journey on the Çilgin Nehir rafting adventure, with rafts that seat up to 9. Read more...

See antique puppets at Istanbul Toy Museum

Some of its pieces are centuries old

At one point in history, İstanbul Oyuncak Müzesi used to be a famous toy shop which sold all sorts of classical Turkish dolls and toys. Located in Istanbul’s Göztepe neighbourhood, in the city’s Asian side, it later turned into a museum, showcasing well over 4,000 different toys, puppets and miniature sets from all over Turkey, Europe, and the world. It offers you and your kids some great insights into the history of toys, with plenty of its pieces being antiques that date back centuries.

Konum: Ömer Paşa Cad. Dr. Zeki Zeren Sok. No:15, Istanbul, Turkey

Çalışma saatleri: Tuesday–Sunday from 9.30am to 6pm (closed on Mondays)

Meet a T-Rex at Jurassic Land

Walk with dinosaurs in a mall

Travel far back in time to when dinosaurs ruled the Earth at Jurassic Land, Istanbul’s dinosaur-themed attraction. You can find this indoor theme park inside the Forum Istanbul shopping mall complex in Bayrampaşa, on the European side of the city and around 15 minutes’ drive west of downtown. It has over a dozen animatronic dinosaurs set in their imagined habitats, as well as a paleoanthropic gallery and a science discovery centre. You can view short but exhilarating movies at its 6D cinema.

Ferry to The Princes’ Islands

For a short and scenic island hop out of the city

After enjoying all the family excitement that Istanbul has to offer, you can go on a ferry ride to these small islands off the coast, in the Sea of Marmara. The Princes’ Islands offer serene escapes, with quaint villages lined of beautiful wooden houses. Motorized vehicles are banned here, so a popular way to see the sights is by horse-drawn carriage. Rides can be fun for the whole family, but if you’re looking for an adventure, you can rent bicycles that are widely available on the island. Read more...

Shop for Turkish Delights

Hunt for your favourite lokum flavours

Treat yourself and the kids to something sweet in Istanbul, with none other than the traditional lokum – commonly known as Turkish Delights. You can find these confections in various forms and flavours, and at different shops and marketplaces throughout Istanbul. Among the most popular and longstanding lokum shops are Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir, in theBeyoğlu district on Istanbul’s European side, and Hafiz Mustafa in Downtown Istanbul. Samples are usually handed out generously, giving you a chance to taste baklava and biscuits, as well.